Digital storage media such as CD's and DVD's are very popular for providing such things as entertainment and education to users. It is not uncommon now for such storage media to be sold in multiple unit sets. For example, some movies now come in a set of DVD's, and some music is offered in multiple CD unit sets. These sets can be delivered in a box containing a plurality of “jewel cases,” each containing a CD or DVD. The box will generally be decorated with advertising and marketing materials. Another delivery format that has become popular is to have the storage media carriers or trays which are similar to the inside retainer of a jewel case, attached in a series along a carrier strip with each carrier being adapted to retain one or more CD's or DVD's. The carriers may be spaced apart along the strip, allowing for the strip to be folded and allowing the carriers to be stacked one upon another to form a stacked assembly. A closure device or sleeve may be provided to retain the carrier in stack format until opened by the consumer. The consumer may refold the carrier assembly to store it in a stack format for space-saving reasons.
While the carrier assemblies are popular and effective for their intended purpose, the formation of the carrier strips has been problematic. A set may consist of two or any number of carriers of two or more, which number will be determined by the number of storage media units to be included in the set. Currently, an apparatus has been provided for making such carrier assemblies. The apparatus is made by Traying Machine of Minnesota. The problem with the existing apparatus is that they are very expensive and move the carrier strips and carriers attached thereto through the apparatus in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the assembly apparatus. Further, each row of carriers will have to have its own carrier depositors and glue systems which complicates the machine and leaves many of the rows idle when a smaller carrier assembly is being made.
The present invention provides an advance in the art by providing an apparatus which makes the carrier assemblies in an apparatus that can deposit any number of carriers desired in a row and receive thereon a cover strip for securing the carriers together. Only one glue system, one carrier deposit and one cover strip depositor are needed to form the carrier assemblies.